Chapter 19 - Sacrifice

Erika stood in between the two groups of people. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to be. She liked the Titans, and if she fought on their side that meant she got to stay with Robin; that’s what she really wanted right now. However, none of them stood a chance against Gypsie. She had so many powers and she could read their thoughts. Staying with the Titans would mean certain death and she didn’t want that either. She debated for several minutes on what to do. All eyes were on her, they all wanted to know where her loyalties really lied.

“Come on Erika, We can beat her if you help us.” Robin’s voice was desperate he really didn’t want to believe she was the villain. “Please Erika; I know you’re not that kind of person.”

She stared into his eyes. How she longed to go to him. To show him that she really was who he thought she was, but unlike him she was afraid of death. Just the thought scared her, and if she stayed with him she would have no future but that one.

“I’m sorry, but I must do what is best for me.”

With that she turned and walked to Gypsie’s side and looked back at Robin. His expression was torn. It was easy to see he couldn’t understand why she would choose this path, but this way insured that she would continue to live even if it meant a few of the Titans would die. She didn’t want to kill them, but so long as it wasn’t Robin who died in her hands she figured she could survive. Besides her and Raven had a rocky past, she was certain she could kill her without any regrets.

“You seem shocked by her choice, but why? You seem to…know her better than anyone else; wouldn’t she tell you who she really was?

“Well I see that wasn’t the case, so allow me the honors of introducing you to my apprentice. Erika’s a very tricky person, one of many different personalities; that’s why it’s so hard to read her. Even for me I never can know what she’s really thinking. See even though it’s hard to trust her she makes the best spy. She has no problem pretending and doesn’t feel guilty. She’s quite the actress, had you fooled even to this point today. From the very first day you met her she was working for me. We’re connected in a way and she would tell me everything about you. Have you ever wondered how Red X got his weapons back? I’m sure you thought someone had broken into the tower. However that wasn’t the case. Erika took it and brought it to me. She deceived you all.

“I’ve only ever had one complication with her. She’s the perfect weapon, however lately I’ve found her to be very distracted. When I took her back, I tried to keep her away. I tried to keep her mind busy so she had no chance to accidentally go back there, but I couldn’t seem to. I found her breaking past all barriers and even though she didn’t know who you were she continued to be distracted by it. Well now it seems she’s no longer distracted, and I finally have a chance to destroy her distraction.”

She stared at Robin until she was sure he understood, finally it clicked in. He was the distraction. Moving closer to him her face was still calculating, she was obviously thinking about the quickest way to destroy him. Even though he was scared and wanted to run away he couldn’t, he was frozen. After several more steps she stopped and her face took on a different expression.

“I’ve got a better idea, truly the best way to destroy you.” She turned and faced Erika giving her instructions in her mind. “My child it is time to prove that you are truly a worthy apprentice and will not become a traitor. Annihilate him and you will stay at my side, however should you choose not to, you will be destroyed along with the Titans!”



This just wasn’t working out the way she had wanted it to. She had planned to leave the destruction of Robin to one of her comrades. She was certain she could handle one of them doing it, but now it was her responsibility.

“Of course why would I disappoint you.”



“Well then do it!”



Erika ran at Robin and slid her foot into his shins knocking him to the ground. Gypsie only watched the battle for a few more minutes then she turned taking one of the other Titans off her teammate’s hands. This would be a battle unlike any of the ones the Titans had experienced before. These villains were trained to kill without a second thought or regret. They wouldn't think back upon there choices or think what they were going to do. They were killing machines simple as that.

As Robin pulled himself off the ground he continued to try to get through to Erika. This wasn't the girl he knew, something was driving her to act like this and he wanted to find out what it was and bring back the girl he'd known those few months.

“Erika, why are you doing this? I know this isn't who you are, please, why do you listen to her!”

Even as she answered she continued to attack him. Every attack was hard for her, but she concentrated on what she had been taught, to kill any feelings she had and destroy her opponent. “Apparently you didn't know me very well. If you did you would have realized from the moment you met me that there was something wrong with me. The only person who knew me was Raven, and she told you all along that I was evil. She was right I just had you fooled.”

He dodged a kick that would've hit him square in his chest, however he continued talking, he wasn't giving up that easily. “So you were evil, you're not now. Unlike the rest of them you don't seem to have the same blood lust. If you did I would be in the same condition as the rest of my team, practically defeated.”

He was right she didn't have the same motive as her comrades; it'd be very unlikely for her to just simply kill him. In fact it was probably quite impossible. Gypsie over heard her thoughts and focused her attention to Robin and Erika. What they both had been thinking was true. Erika did not posses the blood lust it would require for her to betray Robin and kill him. On the other hand however, Erika was the strongest out of all of them. Her half trying at fighting was about equal to the rest of the team's 100%. Robin was enduring quite well. He would make a nice addition to the team.

“Erika, I see you're very much apposed to killing this boy. I've got another choice for you, make him one of us. Then he doesn't have to die and I will have what I want, a very strong team.” She didn't speak out loud he words were heard softly in Erika's mind.

This was a choice she could handle. It was a way out of killing him if this worked she could have everything she wanted. She wouldn't have to worry about Gypsie killing her and she could stay with Robin, she would win on both accounts. When she came within 20 feet of him she threw her fingers quickly to her temples and focused her powers. When Robin tried to move to dodge the attack he knew would be coming at him, he found that he couldn't. She continued to come at him, but no longer at a running pace.

Once she had reached him she didn't let go of her control on him. However she loosened it slightly and pushed him until he lay on the ground just like Collin had when she'd preformed this ability of hers on him.

“Now that you're just laying there listen to me. It would seem that you understand that I don't posses the proper thought process to kill. That you are wrong on, killing any one of your comrades would be quite simple for me; I just seem to be having difficulty setting my mind to kill you. However, you're not attacking me either so that would lead me to believe that you don't, as I don't, posses the proper thought process to kill me either. Now then I have a way to solve both your problem and mine. Gypsie sees you as a possible teammate, which would mean that so long as you agree to turn your back on friends and fight along side us you will be free to live. So what do you say, will you be my partner?”

“Erika, I've told you this before, I'm not afraid of dying. If I was I wouldn't be a superhero. Another thing, I'm not like you I won't betray my friends. I'm sorry but your offer isn't something I can accept.”

Thinking about what Robin had said she released him from the bindings she had created. He stood up and looked into her eyes, still finding it hard to believe that this girl was evil. At this moment she looked very vulnerable, but it didn't last long she hardened her expression and returned to her fighting stance.

Collin fought against the cyborg and both of them were just about at the end of their strength. Collin was gifted with speed, but the cyborg had great weapon power. Even if he couldn't see him he could still target and attack him. Sweat ran down Collin's face. He'd never actually been in a real battle, only practice ones with Erika. She pretended to be tough during their practice, but that was nothing compared to this. If he messed up now the consequences would be much more severe than the ones she had dealt him.

Gypsie had Raven pined down on the ground. Raven's powers were very similar to hers and Erika's, but Gypsie's mind reading had given her and extra advantage. She knew every move she planned to make and when she was going to do it. There was just no surprising her. She slammed the palm of her hand in to Raven's temple and she lost consciousness. Gypsie knew she wasn't dead, but still left her lying on the ground where she had knocked her out and went to aid Terra. As the newest member she hadn't had proper training yet and was having a hard time holding her own against Starfire.

Erika was evenly matched by Robin. In reality he was a very strong fighter, and his potential power was very close to her own. He was her toughest opponent ever. As there was a short break in attacks she looked around the room at her comrades; all their battles were going well. Gypsie had knocked Raven out and was currently helping Terra with Starfire. Terra was new so this type of difficulty in fighting was very much expected. Red X had Beast Boy cornered and would soon be finishing him off. Quite frankly her battle was the only one that seemed to be difficult. Hopefully if she dragged it out long enough her friend would finish their battles and come help her. They could finish Robin off and she wouldn’t have to feel guilty. That was a good plan and would probably work.

She turned her attention back to Robin. He seemed to be doing the same thing she was at the moment, analyzing his surroundings. He saw that his friends were having no luck; soon there would be nothing left of them.

“I see you realize that you guys stand no chance against us so why not join us?”

“Again, it's not going to happen. I'd much rather die fighting beside my friends as to becoming a traitor!”

Only minutes after he'd spoken Gypsie appeared at her side; although she didn't attack him, he could sense that something bad was about to happen. Then a loud bang made every one turn to look in the corner where Cyborg and Collin had been. When the dust cleared they all saw Cyborg slammed against a wall. Raven standing in front of Collin. And Collin was lying in a heap on the floor.

Raven couldn't remember what had possessed her to do this. She'd only woken to see Cyborg just about to be finished off. As quick as she could she'd thrown him out of the way and attack the boy. She'd seen the light fade from his eyes; he was most certainly dead.

Erika'd seen the way way Collin looked many times before. She didn't want to believe it, so she checked his body for mind actions, nothing. He was gone, although it saddened her she really didn't seem to care as much as she would have thought she would. But this didn't really matter either she also knew something bad was about to happen.

“Well it would seem that I have lost one of my teammates, no matter though his loss truly means nothing. Now then let me see, it would seem that my problem is not being taken care of. That will mean that I must fix it myself. Have you ever wondered why she fears me so much?” As she spoke she pointed to Erika. All the Titans now surrounded them, ready to attack. “Well let me show you. It is truly terrible, as you can imagine not much scares her.” She had brought a rock up and held it in her hand. It had at first burst into red and orange flames, it had changed into a blue lightning. “Now then Robin, it would seem this would be the end of you!”

She charged at Robin making the rock and the lightning storm in her hand larger. She was so quick the Titans didn't have a chance to move.

“No!”

Robin slid across the ground away from her attack, he wasn't sure what had happened, but whoever had called out had been right beside him. He opened his eyes to find someone else standing where he would have been if he hadn't been shoved out of the way. A sharp rock dagger was shoved in her chest where her heart was. Her thick blood spilled out in large pools on to the ground. It took him a moment to realize who was standing in his place, due to the blood that covered her body. It was the only person who'd been able to match Gypsie's speed, Erika.

Realizing that it was not Robin who stood in front of her she tossed the corps of her apprentice away from where Robin was, pulling the sharp rock from her chest. As she walk towards Robin she noticed that Red X was gone, because Erika had been killed Terra now stood with the Titans sou rounding her, no longer under mind control. The Titans closed in on her. She was alone and outnumbered, she had no chance. In a large cloud of dust she disappeared from the battle.

All the Titans ran to Robin, but as soon as he was on his feet he shoved them out of the way and ran to Erika's body. He threw himself down on his knees and brushed her hair away from her face.

“Erika, no talk to me!” His voice was frantic. He didn't want to admit she was gone. “Please,” He felt something slip down his face ands put his hand up to wipe it away. It was water, this was the first time he'd even thought about crying in a very long time. He didn't want to cry in front of his friends so he tried to hold it in. He ran his fingers through her dark hair as he realized something, and a weak half smile fell upon his face. “You never meant to kill me did you? Even as you swore that you would, you couldn't..” He spoke to her dead body still stroking her hair. you“You were never truly evil, like I said I know you better than you ever thought.” He voice broke several times as he spoke. As hard as he tried he couldn't seem to hold back his tears a few of them always slipped through.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to find Raven standing above him. He face was not cold and expressionless like usual; it actually showed compassion for him, something he never thought he'd see.

She spoke to him, her voice was soft and gentle. “It's ok Robin, you don't need to hold in your feelings because of us.”

He weakly smiled once again. He crossed his arms and threw them down on her chest burring his head in them and let go of all of the tears he'd been trying to hide.

“Why Erika, why did you choose now to fight by my side!”

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